


It's Not A Date

by incurableinsanity



Series: Winterhawk Shorts [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bucky has the patience of a saint, Clint's a klutz, Fluff, M/M, Stupid fluffy morons, kind of, mentions of Nat/Bruce, mentions of Steve/Tony - Freeform, sniper husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-26 19:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3861841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incurableinsanity/pseuds/incurableinsanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Just one date, Buck,” Steve tries. “If you don’t like him, it’s not like you have to see him again.”<br/>Bucky sighs. Steve and Nat will hound on him until he agrees. “Alright, fine. One date, Stevie.”</p><p>Or:</p><p>the "I’m calling to cancel our date because I’m actually in the ER right now, sorry. …I mean, sure, I guess you can come down here, but… okay…" AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Not A Date

**Author's Note:**

> Also available in 中文 ([x](http://cathylovejr.lofter.com/post/1cac29e2_8047dc2)) and Русский ([x](https://ficbook.net/readfic/3355212))
> 
> Based on the prompt found [here](http://notallbees.tumblr.com/post/105994550160/au-scenarios-were-bad-at-dating-edition)
> 
>  
> 
> Because these two idiots still need more love.

Bucky doesn’t have the best luck with dates. Between the metal prosthetic that Steve’s weird rich boyfriend funded for him and the fact that people don’t like how close he is with Steve even though they’re not dating, he doesn’t have boyfriends or girlfriends that last long. Steve makes it a point to try and include him even when they’re all out together and it’s mostly couples.

But if he has to watch Tony Freakin’ Stark give Steve weird ass beard burn or Nat and Bruce doing that weird dance around each other one more time, he’s going to take up Sam’s offer to try and rejoin the army until they take him, prosthetic left arm or no.

“I’m telling you Bucky,” Nat says one evening, when it’s just him, her, and Steve sitting in Steve’s apartment drinking beer and eating pizza, “you’ll like Clint.”

“I’m not going on a blind date with your friend, Nat,” Bucky says around a mouthful of pizza. He scowls at her.

“I’ve met Clint before,” Steve puts in, and like a traitor, adds, “I think you should meet him.”

“We met briefly,” Bucky frowns. They did meet, but it was at Stark’s party, and it was only for a moment when Clint had been Nat’s ride over and then left after a few minutes, claiming work. They had really only exchanged names before Clint had to book it.

“Please, that doesn’t count,” Nat tells him. “You two would be good together, I mean it. Clint hasn’t dated anyone as long as you haven’t. You two losers need to at least be friends and be single losers together.”

“I have Sam for that,” Bucky protests. “And also, if you stopped shoving your couple-ness in my face, this wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Aw, Buck,” Steve makes the puppy-dog eyes, and goddammit, Bucky can’t resist those. Steve may have shot up and beefed out since childhood, but his stupid golden boy face and puppy eyes haven’t changed at all. “We just don’t like making you feel left out. Clint’s a good guy, little rough around the edges like you, but I think you guys would get along.”

“Steve-”

“Just one date, Buck,” Steve tries. “If you don’t like him, it’s not like you have to see him again.”

Bucky sighs. Steve and Nat will hound on him until he agrees. “Alright, fine. One date, Stevie.”

“Perfect,” Nat smiles slowly around her beer bottle. “I’ll set up the date.”

“Did Clint already agree to this?” Bucky asks, just out of curiosity.

“He will,” Nat says with such confidence and the smirk that says Clint will go or there would be consequences.

It’s kind of weird seeing it not directed at him for once and the other guy isn’t even here.

 

 

 

 

The date is just dinner at an Italian restaurant, but nothing fancy. Nat and Steve both know how much he hates that kind of shit, and apparently so does Clint. Bucky’s pretty sure Stark’s the only one who likes this kind of thing, and Steve only indulges that habit of Stark’s on special occasion.

Bucky’s on his way to the place, wearing nice jeans and a button-down that covers most of the metal limb, when his phone rings.

“Hello?” He answers when he doesn’t recognize the number on the ID.

“ _Uh, Bucky, right?”_ A voice says, and Bucky has a feeling who this is.

“Clint?”

“ _Yeah, that’s me._ ” Clint confirms and then hisses lowly. Bucky files that noise away, and assumes Nat gave Clint his number.

“What’s the phone call for?” He kind of has an idea, but he’s not too sure-

“ _I’m calling to calling to cancel our date because I’m actually in the ER right now._ ” Okay? Bucky’s never gotten stood up with that excuse before. “ _Sorry._ ”

Bucky’s…actually pretty mad. Steve and Nat both vouched for this fucker and he just uses some flimsy excuse like being in the ER? Seriously? He doesn’t believe it for a second, and needs to actually see if he’s there. “I’m coming down there.”

Clint inhales sharply, then exhales, “ _I mean sure, I guess you can come down here. But-_ ”

“I’m coming down there,” Bucky tells him again.

“ _Okay_.” Clint agrees after a moment, then rattles off the address of the ER he’s at.

“I’ll be there in fifteen,” Bucky hangs up.

 

 

 

 

Bucky steps into the ER, sidestepping a family whose kid is crying bloody murder and clutching his arm. Bucky winces at the noise, then finds his way to the nurse at the desk.

“I’m looking for Clint Barton,” He smiles with charm, hoping to get by without the whole ‘family only’ spiel. The nurse, thankfully, is young and probably new, so she gives him the number of the examination room he’s currently in. Bucky smiles again in thanks and heads down the hall.

Bucky calms a little when he finds out that Clint’s actually here and not making shit up. Once he finds the door, he knocks on it before opening it. It’s empty, save for the cushioned table in the corner and the man sitting on it. The man with-

“Is that an arrow sticking out of your shoulder?” Bucky questions with disbelief. Clint glances over at him, holding bloody cloth at his right shoulder that still has part of a broken shaft in it.

“Kids really need to learn how to aim,” Clint tries with a small grin, “Hey Bucky.”

“Clint,” He returns, then steps up to look at the wound. “Seriously, an arrow?”

“Kid shot one off when I was still on the range,” Clint explained with a small laugh, “Taught him a valuable lesson in waiting at least. Sorry about our date.”

“Yeah, well, this can make an interesting story at least,” Bucky smiles a bit, and Clint laughs. “They have you on painkillers?”

“Plenty of ‘em,” Clint grins widely, “Still uncomfortable when I move, but the Doc is supposed to be here soon.”

Bucky leans against the wall, shoves his hands in his pockets, and laughs, “I can’t believe you got shot in the shoulder with an arrow.”

Clint full out laughs. Then groans. “I have the worst luck.” The doctor comes in at that point, glancing at Bucky with a raised eyebrow, but says nothing about his presence.

“Well, Mr. Barton,” The doctor greets, “I think you need to stop stepping on the range while your students are armed.”

“Yeah, yeah, Doc,” Clint grunts, and Bucky has a feeling that this isn’t the first time Clint’s been shot by an arrow by his apparent students.

Bucky watches quietly as the Doc carefully sets about removing the arrow and giving Clint plenty of stitches.

“Hey, Bucky,” Clint starts at one point, his head leaning against the wall behind him. “This…isn’t a date right?”

It would be hell of a first date, a story to tell to Nat and Steve over their weekly beer and pizza night, and Bucky would laugh over the date that went wrong, over the guy that he never gave a second date because Bucky never got past the first. It’d be just like the other stories, the only difference is that it’s a guy his friends know, but that wouldn’t change his friendship with Nat.

It would be the end of him even trying for something with Clint, but he isn’t sure he wants that yet. Because he wants to make it to a second date, but he needs to have an actual first. Because even though Clint’s currently on painkillers that make him higher than a kite, there’s the quiet desperation in that question, that maybe Clint wants to try as much as Bucky does, because Bucky remembers what Steve said about Clint about them getting along by both being rough around the edges and that’s something that sits in Bucky’s chest while Clint looks at him as he waits for the answer. Because Bucky wants more than a string of failed attempts at a relationship.

“No, Clint,” He tells him quietly, “It’s not a date.”

Clint grins then. “Awesome.”

 

 

 

 

Bucky smacks his hand against his forehead, then promptly winces because it’s his metal one.

“Clint.”

“ _Bucky, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-_ ” Clint’s voice comes over the phone.

“Clint.”

“ _These freakin’ kids need to learn_ _how to shoot – I mean how did she shoot it backwards while facing forward – like I can’t even do that, and it was a freakin’ powerful shot, straight through and through of my leg and –_ ”

“Clint,” Bucky sighs. “It’s fine. I’ll be down there in half an hour.”

“ _Aww, Bucky no. Don’t bother, go eat the dinner – it’s supposed to be really nice –_ ”

“Clint, I’m not having our one year anniversary dinner alone while you’re at the ER.”

“ _Okay, okay….Love you Bucky._ ”

“Love you too, you accident prone idiot.”

**Author's Note:**

> My [tumblr](http://torii-storii.tumblr.com/)


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